


with a Perfect Stranger's eyes

by Narci



Series: See the Forest, Not Just the Trees [13]
Category: Mo Dao Zu Shi, 人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 | The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, BAMF Shěn Yuán | Shěn Qīngqiū, BAMF Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Gen, M/M, Magic, bingyuan is married but also not featured, but its a mdzs/svsss crossover so duh, fortunes, liushen background friendship, no beta we die like Shen Yuan, referenced character death, shen yuan is having stupid self deprecating thoughts, tarot reading, wei ying is a sad but like determined boi, where is wei ying's babysitter when you need 'em???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27963089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narci/pseuds/Narci
Summary: 'WTF is WWX doing in PIDW??????!!!?'{Host wasn’t supposed to meet him! (◞‸◟；) There’s been a small mix up from the Superior System Gods… (◞‸ლ) Due to a transmigration system entering the novel Mo Dao Zu Shi, a line of code was incorrectly scribed… sooo System apologizes but he will be temporarily sharing a world with key Mo Dao Zu Shi centered characters and plots… (-﹏-。)}'...what-'{And, if Host causes Alternate Protagonist’s failure to complete the Fixed Plot Point, then this system will be forced to send Host back to the base world! ヽ(•̀ω•́ )ゝ✧}'the fuck?'-/-(eventual) character study of wwx by a familiar stranger
Relationships: Liǔ Qīnggē & Shěn Yuán | Shěn Qīngqiū, Shàng Qīnghuá & Shěn Yuán | Shěn Qīngqiū, Wei Wuxian & Shěn Yuán | Shěn Qīngqiū
Series: See the Forest, Not Just the Trees [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1915600
Comments: 28
Kudos: 187
Collections: Reincarnation and Transmigration





	1. the first reading

**Author's Note:**

> just wanna throw this out there before anyone gets mad at me (not that anyone would), this is the final part of STF, yes. however! this has a second chapter, so it ain't over yet, readers... just y'all wait...
> 
> (anyway, i felt bad for starting my new series before finishing this one, sooooo i figured i could at least put out what i have so far, and then finish it in a few days)

“These cards will represent Immortal Master’s past, present, and future.” Shen Qingqiu nods as the beautiful auntie spreads out around twenty thin slips of almost glowing jade. Shen Qingqiu always thought simply making them jade was a lazy way of Airplane bro including very modern tarot cards into Proud Immortal Demon Way, but for someone who would make a cultivation based version of t.v. purely for convenience’s sake, he isn’t exactly surprised. Frankly, nothing about this universe surprises Shen Qingqiu anymore.

“If Master Shen would draw a card, it would represent his present. It goes here. Be clear in your intent when you choose your cards, and I can promise you, they will never lie,” she says, gently tapping a space directly in front of Shen Qingqiu. With a hum, he scans the presented jades. All have the same backing, and the same level of magical aura, but one on the edge draws his eyes immediately.

“This one,” Shen Qingqiu promptly pulls the card to where the fortune teller had patted and flips it over with absolutely no hesitation. Hey, he said they were lazy, not boring, okay? Any mystic arts that he, himself, cannot do retain an associated hazy excitement. Just because Shen Qingqiu is now a distinguished Peak Lord and also, maybe, married, doesn’t mean he can’t geek out over unfailingly accurate tarot readings. 

Etched on the stone is a picture of an upright seemingly sleeping woman. The name of the card, however, is reversed, and it takes Shen Qingqiu a moment to read it.

“The Hanged Man?” 

“En.” Shen Qingqiu looks up at her agreement and makes unsettling contact with the singular eye of the woman. She may smile, but she never blinks. 

“When reversed, the Hanged Man holds many meanings. In this Master’s case,” she deliberates momentarily, unmoving in her observations of Shen Qingqiu’s countenance. “This one believes a decision has been raising its head for a long while now, and Immortal Master has perhaps been neglecting to do anything about it. Perhaps a secret?”

Shen Qingqiu tries to hide the minute eye twitch, but she grins as if he had just full-body flinched. This auntie is certainly something, Shen Qingqiu sighs caustically, she’s one of the only beautiful women from the original PIDW that maintained a distance with Bing-ge. They met briefly in the 1000s range of chapters, but she merely helped the half demon on his way, and never showed her face again. Shen Qingqiu had been both impressed by Airplane’s choice and irritated that another interesting character was effectively yeeted out of the picture.

“Ah, yes. A secret. A big one, too, by the looks of you.” She seems to have decided to forgo further formalities in titles, and Shen Qingqiu is willing to go along with her, but only because she like... lowkey (highkey) freaks him out in a different way than any of the many demons and monsters he’s met so far have. It’s less of a ‘wow, she could kill me’ vibe than a ‘she could reveal all my secrets with a smile on her face and then stab me peacefully’, so yeah… not the most comforting. 

Still, he isn’t done with his reading is he? 

“Would you like to continue?” She asks like Shen Qingqiu had been thinking aloud this entire time. He nods in reply. She straightens the tarot cards on the table, shuffles them in a way Shen Qingqiu is almost certain that no one else could, and then fans them out on the table once again. “Now, you will draw a card to represent your past. It goes here.”

Once again, Shen Qingqiu is drawn to a card immediately. This time, it’s directly in the middle. Quickly sliding it into place on the left of the first, he pauses before turning it over. This is definitely the card, but something feels off about it---

“Would Master Shen like to rotate the card? Sometimes that is all it takes.”

_The mind reading is getting a bit annoying, Auntie._ Regardless of his less than obedient thoughts, he does exactly as she suggested. After being adjusted, the wrongness disappears, and Shen Qingqiu flips the card with no further ado. 

This one is also reversed, but it features a much different figure. The background shimmers in a darker way then the Hanged Man card, but the hooded person draws his attention before he can focus too much on the differences. The Hermit, he reads the name after a while.

“Ah, another reversed card, and the Hermit no less. You must have been very lonely, Master Shen.” Her gaze is almost softer now, but she is no less unsettling when she grabs the hand he just flipped the card with. “You aren’t so lonely anymore, are you? Now, you have friends. Family. A lover. But, you feel as if they aren’t truly yours, don’t you? You feel as if everything you have is someone else’s, and fear that one day, they’ll take it all back. That you’ll be alone once again. Alone and wasting away.”

Shen Qingqiu struggles not to rip his hand away, but he ultimately fails. Once, his arm is free, he takes a step back from the booth she sits behind. The stall she has set up is seemingly poorly crafted, but Shen Qingqiu would bet money that it would outlive most people in this village. In PIDW, she was a wanderer, giving prophecies whenever she felt they were necessary, and completely disappearing when they weren't. Earlier, Shen Qingqiu had forgotten about her policy in his excitement to see her readings in action. If Bai Lianxiao was out here giving readings, then something must be going down pretty soon. Madame Bai never surfaces without a clear purpose. 

So, what is she looking to accomplish now? Shen Qingqiu has already changed the whole freaking novel’s plot, saved the goddamn world, and died like three times. What else does he have to do????!?!? WTF????

She giggles lightly at whatever she skims off of his aura or mind or steam or WHATEVER, point is, she is amused by Shen Qingqiu’s panic and that seems kind of rude, so he sends her a glare and gracefully covers the rest of his face with the fan Binghe has gifted him before his trip.

“Calm down, child. This isn’t about you. You have done enough. This is about someone much like you and your husband, but separate. I must give him his fortune even if he doesn’t heed its warnings. Master Shen just happened to be a nice way to pass the time.” A mischievous glint enters her eye as she motions him closer and reshuffles her deck. “And you aren’t done yet, hm? Aren’t you forgetting the last card? Arguably the most important-”

“The future,” he cuts her off as he looks at her pile of jade one last time.

“Exactly,” Madame Bai agrees with a breathless laugh. Shen Qingqiu glances up at her momentarily before honing in on the card standing out from the rest. Just as he’s about to reach out and end this reading for good, an elegant, yet tanned and callused, hand snatches it up. 

Shen Qingqiu can admit that he is sometimes unobservant (very unobservant), but he should have sensed someone coming so close to his undefended back. However, somehow, a stranger had walked up, not disturbing the odd silence of the village’s market, and practically hugged him without him noticing?????!!!???? Not even Binghe could do that anymore. His core has become much too bright to mask entirely.

“Aiyah,” the mystery man breaks Shen Qingqiu from his spiraling thoughts of his own weaknesses. The card is set down right where it was meant to be. Ominous depiction of a storm and all. After a short pause, he cheerfully adds, “I didn’t pick a very good card did I?”


	2. back the fuck up there, hottie! laozi is married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a meeting w/ celeb, an argument w/ system, and a problem w/ repression

Shen Qingqiu looks back in horror at the new addition to the scene. His eyes widen when he catches sight of one of the most well put together men he has ever seen. And that says a lot when you take into account his husband, best friend, sort of childhood friend, and father-in-law. 

He also recognizes that face! All at once, he is no longer Qing Jing Peak Lord Shen Qingqiu, Shen Yuan’s inner fan boy grabbing the reins. After all, before a true god, how can he be anything but the worshipper he once was? 

Shen Yuan is no longer overly concerned about how the man snuck up on him because it’s Wei. Fucking. Wuxian! The Yiling Patriarch! The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation! The protagonist that’s second to only Luo Binghe in his heart!

Wow, the donghua and webtoon do not do him justice at all! Xiao Zhan comes close, but even he doesn’t quite capture the aura output by Wei Wuxian. The raw charisma radiating from this man's body would even be equal to Bing-Ge’s! How did Lan Wangji not just pin him to a tree the first time they met? How did he wait a hundred chapters??? The thirteen years HanGuang-Jun spent in mourning could’ve been avoided if only the two had papapa’d before Wifi went all Yiling Patriarch!

Wait, what?! No! That’d ruin the whole book’s future plot! The pining is what makes Mo Dao Zu Shi, even if it gets a bit painful at times. And! And papapa isn’t a cure all! It’s not some panacea! ...maybe Shen Yuan has been influenced by Airplane-bro’s dumpster fire of a novel more than he thought. 

Speaking of plot… why is Wei Wuxian even here? Has Shen Yuan accidentally transmigrated AGAIN???? Wouldn’t he have noticed! 

**{Host is correct! If a new setting was chosen, Host would be dead (✿◠‿◠) }**

_So, what’s happening then! Shouldn’t you tell me before I meet another Protagonist! Why are you even back again? I thought you disappeared after I completed PIDW’s canon storyline…_

**{Aw! ( > ◡ < ) Did Host miss this cute little syste-}**

_Not a chance._

**{Why is Host dada so mean???? ლ(°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥△°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ლ) }**

_Why has this stupid little system not told me what’s happing yet?_

**{Host didn’t give me a chance! (ಥ﹏ಥ)}**

_Here’s your chance._

**{(ﾟДﾟ?) This system will tell Host! But Host must promise to listen! (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞}**

_Fine! Fine, I’ll listen. So, what’s going on? Why is Wei Wuxian in PIDW?_

**{Host wasn’t supposed to meet him! (◞‸◟；) There’s been a small mix up from the Superior System Gods… (◞‸ლ) Due to a transmigration system entering the novel Mo Dao Zu Shi, a line of code was incorrectly scribed… sooo System apologizes but he will be temporarily sharing a world with key Mo Dao Zu Shi centered characters and plots… (-﹏-。)}**

Shen Yuan ignores basically everything the system says after dropping the bomb about a transmigration in MDZS. _What?! What is there to fix???? MDZS is art! Fucking ART._

**{There’s always haters… (￢_￢) Host should know how Black Powder fans work better than anyone else…}**

_Shut up! I wasn’t a fan of PIDW! It was just… uhhh, human nature in action! After all, no one can look away from a train crash._

**{This system understands… Host is still in denial _(:3」∠)_}**

_Agh, who cares. Anyway, if it’s a temporary overlap, then will he remember meeting me?_

**{Who’s to say…? (๑•́ ₃ •̀๑)}**

_You obviously know._

**{Don’t bully me, Host dada! ( ཀ͝ ∧ ཀ͝ )}**

_I’ll stop if you answer my question._

**{This system didn’t want Host to be mad! (⋟﹏⋞)}**

Shen Yuan just waits for the system to give in like the coward it was.

**{Fine! ( ͒ ඉ .̫ ඉ ͒) Alternate Protagonist: Wei Ying, Current Title: Yiling Laozu, will retain any memories he gains in this error overlap...}**

_Why would that upset me????_

**{Because! That doesn’t mean he’ll remember Host… shouldn’t Host already know about this Protagonist’s memory issues? ( ｰ̀εｰ́ )}**

Shen Yuan scoffs, but he knows that the System’s probably right. Wei Wuxian may be a genius, but he’s sort of an airhead at times (the system privately calls it’s host a huge hypocrite at that statement). _Whatever. Anyway, is there anything I should be concerned about?_

**{There is one thing… (〃∀〃)ゞ This very adorable, helpful, lovable system has been given permission to deduct points from Host’s account for any meddling Host may do. After all, Alternate Protagonist is right in the middle of a crucial Fixed Plot Point! (ง `ω´)ง}**

_Fixed? Like the Endless Abyss?_

**{Host guessed it! In order to continue the story’s plot at this junction, Alternate Protagonist must cause the deaths of Key Characters Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli and then die protecting the Wens!}**

_...What?!_

Okay, so Shen Yuan isn’t gonna lie. MDZS is the best resurrection romance he has ever read, BL or no, but if there's one thing he’d change… it’d be all the freaking death! Like, wtf???? First, it’s the Lan getting attacked, then it’s the Jiangs being nigh exterminated, Jin Zixuan, Wen Qing, Jiang Yanli… and on and on and on.. Like isn’t a tragic backstory enough for you MXTX????? Soooo, yeah. Shen Yuan respects and admires MDZS, but reads fix-its occasionally, just like everyone else. 

_If he, the Wens, and Yanli still have to die, wtf is the point of the transmigration??????? What are they going to be able to fix????_

**{*cough cough* Host asks many questions that this system isn’t technically allowed to answer… but it isn’t written in this system’s code to refuse Host answers about an Alternate Protagonist's fate… (~‾⌣‾)~}**

_Just about the one I was supposed to be made into a Human Stick by?_

**{(/ε＼*)}**

_...If you’re going to answer me, hurry up._

**{...this system was just trying to be cute ( ｰ̀εｰ́ )}**

Shen Yuan: (￢_￢)

**{...Alternate System activated at the phrase ‘WTF???? Is that it???? What about Nie Huaisang!’ Therefore, Alternate Host’s goal isn’t to stop the Alternate Protagonist’s suffering, it’s to aid in the happy ending of Key Character Nie Huaisang!}**

_Nie Huaisang????_

**{Does Host think this system is lying??? (ꐦ°᷄д°᷅)}**

_No, it’s just… Nie Huaisang, huh? Who’s the transmigrator controlling?_

**{This system really isn’t supposed to give out information about other systems’ hosts… (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞}**

_...you’re still going to though._

**{( ु́•̶̤ ‧̫ ⁃ ૂ̀ ).☽˚⁺ Anything for Host!}**

_Hah, anything except for information regarding Luo Binghe’s intentions towards this Master?_

**{Host wouldn’t have believed this system even if I tried! ヽ( `д´*)ノ}**

…and Shen Yuan can’t really argue with that.

**{(◞‸ლ) Host isn’t the most observant, but this system will help anyway. Because this system is the best system… ♪~ ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ}**

_Then get to the helping, ah!_

**{Σ_(꒪ཀ꒪」∠)_ Host still won’t admit it?! (ง `ω´)۶ This system will just have to try harder! Alternate Host’s role is Key Character Nie Mingjue.}**

Shen Yuan is silent for a moment in both jealousy and sympathy. Because… Nie Mingjue is so cool!!! Such a cool role!!! Ahhhh, he’s so tall and strong!!! (…and super hot in the donghua, now that Shen Yuan is married to a man, he feels like he should be able to admit that Nie Mingjue has a hot bod and a badass saber). However, Nie Mingjue also gets forced into a deadly Qi Deviation by Jin Guangyao… so, pros and cons, you know? 

Regardless, Nie Mingjue is an infinitely better role to transmigrate into than Shen Qingqiu…

**{Don’t be sad host! ( •᷄⌓•᷅ ) Nie Mingjue would never be allowed to act the way you do… and he’d never be able to papapa with Luo Binghe… ԅ( ˘ω˘ԅ)}**

Shen Yuan refuses to respond, and the system beeps in offense before hiding itself after one last message: **{Remember, Host! No plot deviation is allowed! If Host causes Alternate Protagonist’s failure to complete the Fixed Plot Point, then this system will be forced to send Host back to the base world! ヽ(•̀ω•́ )ゝ✧}**

Shen Yuan feels like he’s just boarded the emotional struggle bus. 

He’s not allowed to stop anything??? He just has to let Wei Wuxian carry on??? All Shen Yuan can do is watch his second favorite protagonist dig himself deeper into his death hole??? WTF…

“Ah,” Bai Lianxiao replies to the question that Shen Yuan feels was asked years ago… her voice snaps Shen Qingqiu back into the moment. “The Tower.”

Shen Qingqiu just barely recognizes the card’s name, it’s supposedly one of the worst tarot fortunes someone can get… and it’s the one Shen Qingqiu was going to pick as his future before Wei Wuxian grabbed it… hah. 

“What does it mean? I’ve never seen cards like these before!”

Of course not, Shen Qingqiu thinks with the passion of an experienced literary critic, because they were invented in Italy in the fifteenth century. He refrains from voicing that particular thought and gestures for Madame Bai to hopefully explain.

With a glow to her skin, and a lilt in her voice, Bia Lianxiao begins to tell them their possible futures, “The Tower is a warning. It tells one to keep on their toes, for change is coming and impossible to stop. Complacency is a recipe for disaster when facing the maelstrom of the Tower. Master Shen, this card still represents your future despite our visitor pulling it for you. Be very careful, Child, the Tower means even more when applied to someone keeping a secret like yours. Secrets can be revealed very easily when one forgets to keep them, and I believe your secret is one that should come from your lips only. It’s an easy one to misinterpret, isn’t it? One that could cause everyone you love to stop trusting you…”

Shen Qingqiu gulps quietly. He knows that she’s talking about him not being from this world originally, but he also has little interest in telling his husband and friends about his past. She’s spot on about them losing faith in him… Liu Qingge might even stab him if he knew the truth about Shen Qingqiu’s identity. Instead of lingering on the thought, he puts it in a box, and tosses it off the mental cliff he calls ‘repression’. This is what he does with most of his problems. If he doesn’t think about a problem, then he doesn’t have to care about it, and, better yet, he doesn’t have to do anything to fix it. Inconvenient feelings are just obstacles that Shen Qingqiu deftly ignores and dodges.

He looks to Wei Wuxian, then back to Madame Bai. Could Wei Wuxian be the one ‘much like him and his husband’ that she appeared for? She gives him a knowing nod. 

“Traveller, this is also a representation of your future, even though you didn’t know what the cards meant, they drew your attention for a reason, and I, Madame Bai, promise that these cards will always tell the truth to those interested.”

Wei Wuxian leans in even more (apparently, he has very little sense of personal space, even if he does refrain from actually touching Shen Qingqiu), “I’m definitely interested! These cards feel powerful, and who am I to refuse the company of such a beautiful woman? Please, call me Wei Yuandao.”

Madame Bai grins and somehow winks at Shen Qingqiu in triumph even when lacking an eye, Shen Qingqiu flicks his fan into irritated motion, and allows Wei Wuxian to gently scoot him over by virtue of the man getting really, really, really close to his side, and Shen Qingqiu becoming nervous about what Luo Binghe may think if he happens upon this scene and quickly distancing himself a bit. 

Also! Shen Qingqiu cannot believe how flirty Wei Wuxian is! Well, he can, but Shen Qingqiu isn’t used to the pure shamelessness that Wei ‘Yuandao’ apparently directs towards everyone???? Even male cultivators he’s never met before???? What’s with him getting so close, ah? Does he think that just because he’s currently free, that everyone is without a husband that would literally kill anyone (except for Shang Qinghua, given his relationship with Mobei-Jun and Liu Qingge, given his _friendship_ with Shizun) who touches Shen Qingqiu for longer than a minute?! Or, god forbid, a husband that would cry if Shen Qingqiu got close to anyone (Shang Qinghua and Liu Qingge _not_ excluded) other than said husband for longer than five minutes? Shen Qingqiu can usually talk Binghe out of the murder, but the tears? Shen Qingqiu is weak, very, very weak against them...

Ehm, anyway. Shen Qingqiu slows his fanning motion’s pace back down to what a lofty Immortal Master would normally keep. Point is, Shen Qingqiu scooted over, okay? He moved, ah!

“Young Master Wei,” Madame Bai lightly bows her head. “Would you like this sister to explain what the card means for _you_?”

“It means something else for me? Aiyah, these cards must be more powerful than I thought!” Wei Wuxian smiles easily, but now that Shen Qingqiu has gotten over how beautifully made the man is, he can tell that Wei Wuxian is not in the best shape, physically or mentally, and that the tension in his shoulder blades probably suggests that Wei Wuxian finds the cards much less fun than he lets on. “Go ahead then, Sister Bai!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao (directed at myself), i wanted this to be two parts, but now it'll prolly be three (given my history w/ estimates, it'll be 4+ i stg) anyway.... hahahah, i meant for this fic to be the longest part of the STF series, but not because i spent almost 1k words on an argument between sy and his system....


	3. this future is yours, no matter how short it may be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the last of the reading, the system gives sy a reminder, and a death note reference somehow lowkey sneaks itself in.

“Master Shen,” Madam Bai catches his attention easily and tilts her head in Wei Wuxian’s direction. “I said earlier that he was very similar to you, but there is one key difference. For the most part, you are finished with your work. Young Master Wei has only just begun.”

“You spoke of me earlier?” Wei Wuxian sounds pleasantly surprised, but Shen Qingqiu would bet money that the man is actually hella suspicious right now.

“Of course, I always like to tell pretty boys about other pretty boys. Doesn’t matter the time or the place.” She grins, and Shen Qingqiu can’t help but snort at the ridiculous reply. Wei Wuxian, on the other hand, seems perfectly willing to accept the non-answer.

Shen Qingqiu is beginning to feel like he’s the only mostly sane one here, so he mentally volunteers himself to push the plot forward, “Madam Bai said the tower has another meaning for Young Master Wei.”

“Oh, yes. The cards always hold different meanings, especially when applied to those in different stages of their journeys. For Immortal Master Shen, the Tower means a secret coming out, but for Young Master Wei, the Tower signifies a coming disaster.”

Shen Qingqiu catches Wei Wuxian momentarily freeze up in the corner of his eye. 

“Ah, that doesn’t sound so good, Sister.” A slightly forced sounding laugh accompanies the words. 

“It is certainly a grave future. However, there are ways to change your fate. Just as coming clean will help Master Shen control the damage to his relationships, Young Master Wei can take action to lessen the effects of his storm.”

“Oh, really? What action would that be?” Shen Qingqiu can hear the scepticism in his voice, but there’s something else there too, something quiet that he might even call hope.

“I do not hold the answers, the cards do.” All three simultaneously look downwards at the spread slips of jade.

“My mistake,” Wei Wuxian chirps easily. He reaches out a remarkably steady hand to draw another card, and Shen Qingqiu holds his breath while the demonic cultivator flips it over.

Madame Bai says, “Ah, the Heirophant. Reversed? Well, that’s certainly something.”

“Hm?” Shen Qingqiu questions before Wei Wuxian gets a chance. Bai Lianxiao looks up at him silently before almost disappointedly directing her attention back to Wei Wuxian. 

“I’m afraid this card may not hold the answers you seek. The Heirophant represents an established set of values or morals. If you’d like, you can think of it as a symbol of the proper path and those who follow it. Of course, reversing it changes things quite a bit. Young Master Wei…” She trails off suddenly, her eye going unfocused for a brief moment. Shen Qingqiu has goosebumps. Wei Wuxian is rarely silent, but currently, even he doesn’t have words to say. 

“You have left the orthodox path.” It isn’t a question, but Wei Wuxian unthinkingly nods anyway. “You feel like you have to make your own way in order to do what you must. In order to protect what you must. You can see what needs to be done, and despite the whole world being against you, you feel as if you must do it. Like you are the only one who can. Like you are suspended alone on a rickety bridge held together only by your force of will.”

No one speaks for a moment. Shen Qingqiu knows it isn’t actually silent on the streets, but in the wake of her eerily accurate conclusion, all the normal sounds seem to fade away, leaving the three in a bubble of building apprehension. 

It’s Wei Wuxian who pops it. “What am I supposed to do? You speak the truth, but nothing you say is new to me. I know I have diverged from the orthodox. I know I have made myself a public enemy. I know that I have isolated myself, that I am alo-”

“But you aren’t,” Shen Qingqiu cuts him off unthinkingly. Two shocked faces turn to him quickly, and he panics for a moment before deciding what to say. “I think that’s what the card means. What has to be done to divert the maelstrom.”

“What?” 

“You have to be aware that you aren’t truly alone. There must be people out there still willing to help you, to help like duct tape your bridge or whatever!” Shen Qingqiu says the words in a rush, forgetting to change the undoubtedly unfamiliar terms to something more understandable. Wei Wuxian looks thoroughly confused, and Madam Bai entertained. Shen Qingqiu tries again, “Are you sure you’re totally without allies? Because even the smallest ribbon can strengthen the bridge.”

“Aiyah, a ribbon?” Wei Wuxian looks wistful all of the sudden, and Shen Qingqiu is immediately reminded of exactly who a ‘ribbon’ refers to. The transmigrator blushes as he abruptly remembers all the things that _ribbon_ was used for in the book. Maybe, he should have picked a better metaphor, or at least a more subtle one. But as quickly as the nostalgia had appeared, it vanished from the Alternate Protagonist’s face once again. Wei Wuxian quickly shook his head as if to clear a particularly stubborn etch-a-sketch. “Hah. Who would be willing to give even a ribbon to the Yiling Patriarch?”

Shen Qingqiu huffs before starting to say, “La-”

The system cuts in. 

**{Σ(°△°|||)︴Host!}**

_Yes?_ He replies mentally. 

**{Informing Alternate Protagonist of Alternate Love Interest’s devotion is a violation of the ‘No Reveals’ clause. ＼(°o°；）If Alternate Protagonist were to somehow believe Host, he might not complete the Fixed Plot Point! (/ε＼*) If that happened, this system would have to send Host back to his homeworld! (⸝⸝•́દ•̀⸝⸝)}**

_Fuck!_

**{Sorry, Host! (◞‸◟；) The Superior System Gods will make this system do it!}**

_Tch,_ Shen Yuan scoffs, _I should’ve known that you wouldn’t let me tell him. I can’t do anything even remotely helpful. I mean, what even am I at this point? You?_

**{So mean, Host dada! (ಥ﹏ಥ)}**

_Whatever._ Shen Yuan thinks spitefully before forcefully refocusing.

“I’m sorry, what?” Wei Wuxian asks.

“What?” Shen Qingqiu replies.

“Aiyah,” the Alternate Protagonist whines playfully. “You were going to say something else!”

“Was I?” Shen Qingqiu questions with a blank face. Madam Bai snickers.

“Well, regardless of whether or not Master Shen had more to say that he has since forgotten, his previous words aren’t incorrect. Still, it’s up to Young Master Wei to decide what to do with the information.”

Wei Wuxian blinks once or twice and Shen Qingqiu tries not to make a noise at how cute he looks. One might think that, by virtue of whom he married, Shen Qingqiu might be at least somewhat resistant to gorgeous men looking sad, but one would be wrong. Very wrong indeed. All Shen Qingqiu wants to do is like go ‘awwww’ and hug him!

“Okay,” he says, but the demonic cultivator looks anything but. “What if I keep going the way I am? What if I never find someone to help fortify my bridge?”

Madame Bai makes a very obvious gesture towards the cards, Wei Wuxian laughs and nods shortly, “Right, right. I forgot, ah.”

The next card he draws gives Shen Qingqiu shivers and like flashbacks to the first time he watched Death Note.

“Justice," Madam Bai says succinctly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (rip my chapter estimate)
> 
> ahhhhhhhhhhh, i am so ready for this fic to be over, but apparently my brain does not agree, and i cannot FINISH HIM. 
> 
> sad day, but like hey, i think i'm pretty close to the end. only one more chapter hopefully. lol


	4. the sun will still rise tomorrow, so take a break tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shen yuan says goodbye to madame bai and to everyone's favorite dizi player
> 
> (and also maybe to his secrets...)

After a pause, she adds, “Upright.”

“And what does that mean, Madame Bai?” Shen Qingqiu asks, despite already having a fairly good idea of what it means. Wei Wuxian looks as if he’s just swallowed an unripe tomato whole. His long black hair is easily taken by the light wind and pushed into Shen Qingqiu’s own. The cultivators don’t notice.

Madame Bai seems uncertain for the first time in Shen Qingqiu’s limited experience, “Justice is a difficult card to correctly read.”

Wei Wuxian hums in understanding, a clear sign that she can take as much time as she needs. Eventually, the mystic looks away from the tarot card. She clears her throat lightly and begins again, “ If one has been wronged, this card's appearance may bring relief. On the other hand, if one’s actions have caused pain to others, this card serves as a warning. In Young Master Wei, I can see only good intentions. Only righteousness.” 

Wei Wuxian snorts at her words choice, and Shen Qingqiu side eyes him once again. The demonic cultivator is pale, the dark circles he sports stand out, and his hair, though still thick and beautiful, is greasy and tangled. He must be in peak Patriarch™ mode. Privately, Shen Qingqiu thinks that, even if he could warn Wei Wuxian, the cultivator may not believe him. After all, if some random immortal came up to Shen Yuan on the street and told him to stop isolating himself and try to get help before it’s too late, Shen Yuan would just write it off as their long life leading into a tad bit of craziness and continue on his way. 

“Does Young Master Wei not believe this one? Do you not see your own goodness?” A beat of silence that makes Shen Qingqiu feel a bit like he shouldn’t be hearing any of this at all. “If Young Master Wei, himself, cannot find what makes him good, then how is anyone else supposed to be able to interpret what he does in a positive light?”

Shen Qingqiu can feel Wei Wuxian freeze despite the short gap between them. The stillness is so shocking that Shen Qingqiu quickly realizes Wei Wuxian hasn’t ever really stopped moving since he approached them, even if had seemed that way. The Yiling Patriarch breathes a breath deeper than Shen Qingqiu would’ve thought possible and whispers, “What does it matter?”

Madame Bai raises her brows in silent encouragement.

Wei Wuxian continues, picking up speed and volume as he goes, “Why must others be able to see the  _ good _ in my actions? Why do I have to constantly prove that I am doing the right thing! I know it! I know that I am helping people! Why does everyone question me now when they never have before? Just because I want to help innocents that so happen to have the name Wen! Just because my cultivation is seen as  _ wicked _ ! Why can’t they just trust me…? Jiang Cheng, Lan Zhan...”

Shen Qingqiu looks away. Madame Bai meets his eyes as best she can and then dips her head as if signifying that her work is almost done. She moves her gaze back to the youngest of the three. He’s still breathing heavily in a choked sort of way. “Young Master Wei,” she begins softly, “There is more to Justice than what is black and white. I know this, as do you. Over time, the ones you care for will realize this as well.”

Wei Wuxian lifts his head from the bow it had fallen into during his… well, rant, for lack of better words. He leans forward onto her counter, hands firmly placed near the cards. Shen Qingqiu watches the movements warily. The man in black laughs once, “How long? How long will it take? How long will I be alone in my defense of the Wens? Of my cultivation?”

Madame Bai shakes her head, “That is something only you and your loved ones can decide.”

She stands, “There is more to your future than what you may currently see.” And Shen Qingqiu watches in astonishment as she swipes her cards off the table, straightens out her robes, and vanishes. Stall and all. Of course, Shen Qingqiu doesn’t get much time to bask in his awe because, with Wei Wuxian support suddenly disappearing, his arms have nowhere to lean on and he falls forward before he can catch himself. Normally, that wouldn’t mean much to Shen Qingqiu other than that he would need to help the fallen cultivator up. However, the earlier wind had done more than brush Wei Wuxian’s hair into Shen Qingqiu’s, it had  _ tangled _ his hair into  _ Shen Qingqiu’s hairpiece _ . The hairpiece that Binghe had secured for him hours ago. While hair getting caught would usually just end up as hair being pulled out, when it’s a  _ protagonist’s _ hair being caught in a high quality head piece fixed in place by  _ another protagonist _ , the hair isn’t going to give, and neither is the hairpiece. Therefore, the one to fail must be the non-protagonist i.e. Shen Qingqiu. 

And fail he does.

Wei Wuxian goes down quickly, and Shen Qingqiu falls with him.

“Shit,” the immortal shrieks quietly as he does his best to change his current trajectory. Without a Golden Core, Wei Wuxian cannot heal nearly as fast as most people, even non-cultivators, and Shen Qingqiu knows his weight will do some damage to the Alternate Protagonist if he lets it connect. Fortunately, the original had left him a very well-trained body with excellent reflexes. Instead of crushing the demonic cultivator, Shen Qingqiu lands next to him on his back, the wind temporarily knocked out of him.

A moment of silence for Shen Qingqiu’s reputation as a graceful Immortal Master, please. It will be dearly missed.

Wei Wuxian also manages to roll himself on his back, a knot of hair and metal lies between them, they start laughing simultaneously. Shen Qingqiu doesn’t even spare a moment to think about how OOC the laughter may be. He just marvels in how absurd the last two hours have been, even for the universe Airplane-bro created.

“Immortal Master Shen,” Wei Wuxian gets out through full body giggles. Shen Qingqiu turns his head carefully to face the other, ignoring the slight pain caused by his actions. “Do you think this counts as our shared disastrous future?”

Shen Qingqiu snorts and looks back up to the slowly darkening sky. It’s a ridiculous notion, yes, but for some reason, Shen Qingqiu can’t help but feel reluctant to snap Wei Wuxian back into serious mode.

“This town is beautiful,” He says instead of responding to the question. The demonic cultivator happily hums his agreement.

They lay there for hours, just quietly chatting about this and that until the sky grows black, until the streets grow empty. 

Until the future seems just a bit further away.

-/-

Eventually, they drift into silence and Shen Qingqiu can tell that Wei Wuxian has finally fallen into a most likely much needed sleep. The transmigrator mentally promises to protect the Alternate Protagonist until he wakes up, Wei Wuxian deserves at least one solid night of rest. 

As quietly and gently as he can, Shen Qingqiu pulls out his extra fan, one of his more expensive ones, and the small bag of coins he brings on every trip, despite only travelling with companions that are always willing, and wanting, to pay. It isn’t much, he reflects, but maybe it’ll buy Wei Wuxian and the Wens a few weeks of food. 

Even if Shen Yuan isn’t allowed to reveal anything to the younger man, he should be able to do this much. To offer this much surely cannot break any rules. He takes the system’s silence as tacit agreement while he tucks his coins and fan into Wei Wuxian’s robes.

-/-

The rising of the sun brings with it more than just warm light. A shout of Shen Qingqiu’s name echoes around the village’s many houses and stores. He recognizes the voice in an instant and smiles at his shidi’s obviously concerned tone.

Shen Qingqiu sits up as he glances around in an attempt to locate Liu Qingge, temporarily forgetting the hair situation, but as he lays his eyes on his shidi, he realizes that nothing caught as he moved. His hair must be free, he thinks blurrily as Liu Qingge moves closer.

A thought smacks into Shen Qingqiu as the other Peak Lord finally stops in front of his form and pulls him to his feet.  _ Wei Wuxian must be gone then _ , he thinks, and a look backwards confirms the conclusion. A part of him distantly wonders if maybe he should’ve done more for the obviously suffering, yet still caring and just a bit proud, man.

“Shen Qingqiu,” Liu Qingge huffs as he takes in the picture his shixiong currently paints, “what have you been doing?”

“Ah,” the transmigrator laughs softly, “I was just getting my fortune read.”

The system chimes loudly as he’s quickly dragged out of the decently sized town by his agitated shidi.

**{Temporary Overlap Resolved! (∩`ω´)⊃)) Worlds no longer connected! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ Host successfully accomplished the achievement ‘no place like home’! (ʃƪ ˘ ³˘) Keep working hard in the future to earn more interesting achievements! (｡• ̀д•́) 人 (•̀ω•́ )}**

  
_ Yeah, right, _ Shen Yuan scoffs loudly in his head, and Liu Qingge doesn’t say anything about the weird face he makes.

-/-

"Liu-shidi?" He asks abruptly during their flight home.

"Hm?"

"When we get back to Cang Qiong, remind this Master that he has something to tell his martial family."

fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and this brings us to the end of not only 'a Perfect Stranger's eyes', but also STF.
> 
> i don't know how to feel, so i'll just leave it with this:
> 
> thank you all for sticking w/ me through my delays and bad days, thank you for reading my fics, and thank you for just being you
> 
> much love <333


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